Paper tray



Nov. 23, 1943. H. A. BERRY PAPER TRAY Filed July 2l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l (l-Il Nov. 23, 1943.

E. H. A. BERRY 2,334,985

PAPER TRAY Filed July 2l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yPatented Nov. 23, 1943 UNITIEZD STATES PATENT OFFICE y Y rAPEnfrnAY l Elmer H. A. Berry, Wallingford, Conn., assignor to National Folding` Box Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 21, 1941, Serial No. 403,412 1 claim. (ci. 229-34) This invention relates to a paper tray and it is one object of the invention to provide a tray formed of paper and consisting of a single blank of such formation that when it is folded and secured in proper manner, it forms a tray having a bottom of double thickness and hollow walls along sides and-ends of the tray.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray formed from a blank which has marginal portions glued to each otheralong one side only of the tray and wherein the'blank in one stage of the formation of a tray is substantially an open ended tube having its outer surfaces formed by one surface of the material from which the blank is cut. It will thus be seen that cardboard, stiff paper, or other suitable sheet material may be used which has only one surface smooth, colcred, or otherwise specially prepared instead of both surfaces and the tray may be manufactured at lower cost than would be the case if'both surfaces of the sheet material had to be smooth or specially prepared surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray which, after being manufactured, may be collapsed to a flattened condition and thus shipped in stacked form and also stored in stacks by the manufacturer and by the purchaser until needed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray which is of light weight and very strong and sturdy and not liable to collapse when set up and in use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved tray.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the tray on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken transversely through the tray on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through an end wall of the tray on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an end portion of the tray before being folded to form the hollow end wall.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tray with the end wall unfolded.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an end portion of the tray, the tray being shown in section on the line I-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing the tray collapsed and attened.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the collapsed tray.

Fig. 10 is a view of the blank from which the tray is formed.

This tray is formed from a blank shownin Fig. 10, and when the blank is folded, ii; produces a tray having a bottom I, side walls 2, and end walls 3, the side and end walls being of hollow formation and the bottom having upper and lower plies 4 and 5 to provide a bottom of double thickness. This construction imparts strength and stability to the tray and since a single surface of the blank constitutes exposed surfaces of the bottom and the walls of the tray. it is possible to form a tray from a blank having only one surface smooth or of a desired color or pattern and paper stock may be used for blanks which is cheaper than would be the case ii' both surfaces ofthe blank had to be of smooth nish or predetermined color or pattern.

The blank from which the tray is formed consists of a sheet of cardboard or other sheet material and has an end portion E and an inter` mediate portion 1 forming, respectively, the lower ply 5 and the upper ply t of the bottom I of the tray. One extremity of the blank is set off from the outer side edge oi the portion 6 by a fold line 'I having the portion l' thereof heavily scored so that this extremity of the blank may beeasily folded to provide a nap B and the other extremity of the blank is set off by a fold line 9 having a heavily scored' portion 9' in order that the blank may be easily folded and form a flap I which is to be adheringly secured against the flap 8 and, together therewith, form an outer side wall for one hollow side wall of the tray. Between the portion 'I of the blank and the portion i0 thereof, are narrow portions II and I2 set off from each other by a fold line I2 having a heavily scored portion I 2 in order that the blank may be easily folded along this line and along the line of scoring I3 and provide the top wall and the inner side wall of said hollow side wall of the tray. In like manner, the portions It, i5 and 'iii are set off from the portion il and from each other by fold lines II, I8 and I9 having heavily scored portions I'I, I 8 and I9' for easy folding, and when the blank is folded along these lines and the line of scoring 2li, the portions I4, i5 and I6 form the side walls and the top wall oi the second hollow side wall of the tray. At their ends, the narrow sections I0 and I4 are formed with tongues 2l and 22 which are to be folded inwardly along the lines of scoring 23 and 24, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the portions I2 and I 6 are provided at their ends with tongues 25 and 26 which are to be folded inwardly along the scored lines 21 and 28 and have side ears which are to be folded to horizontal position along the scored lines 3| and 32 during formation of the hollow end walls 3 of the tray. The hollow end walls 3 are formed from tongues'33 which project from opposite ends of the portion 1 of the blank and are set off from this portion 1 by lines of scoring 34 so that the tongues may be folded upwardly at ends of the upper ply 4 of the bottom I of the tray. 'I'he reduced inner end portions 35 of the tongues 33 form inner side wallsof the hollow end walls 3 when folded upwardly along the scored lines 34, and the portions 36, 31 and 38 for upper wall and outer side Walls of the end walls 3 and flaps which are tucked inwardly between lower edges of the tongues 2| and 212 and ends of the lower ply 5 of the bottom I of the tray. A fold line 39 having a heavily scored portion 39 divides the inner portion 35 of each tongue 33 from the portion 36 thereof and the portion 3l of each tongue is set off from the portions 36 and 38 by fold lines 40 and 4|, the lines 40 having scored portions 40' and slits 42 being formed between ends of the fold lines 4| and side edges of the tongues 33.

When forming a tray of the blank, the blank is creased along the fold lines so that it may be easily folded and the sections 8 and I0 are glued to each other. If the tray is not to be immediately used, the tongues 33 may be folded under along the fold lines 40, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and the tray will be in a collapsed and flattened condition, in which it may be stacked with other collapsed trays. It is to be understood that the trays may be packed and shipped by the manufacturer in the ilattened condition shownin Figs. 8 and 9, or the trays may be packed for shipment as blanks which are to be folded and glued prior to use by the purchaser. When a tray is to be used, the portions at opposite sides of the bottomforming sections 6 and 'l are bent upwardly to form the hollow side walls 2. The tongues 33 are folded upwardly between end portions of the hollow side walls 2 until their inner portions 35 are disposed vertically and the tongues 251 and 26 extended across these portions, as shown in Fig. 5, with their ears 29 and 30 projecting outwardly, as shown in Fig. 6. The tongues 2| and 22 are then folded inwardly and the portions 36 of the tongues 33 are then folded downwardly across the ears 30 and their portions 31 brought downwardly across the tongues 2| and 22 and the flaps 38 tucked inwardly between the lower ply 5 of the bottom and the lower edges of the tongues 2| and 22. The tray will thus be set up for use and have a doubleibottom and hollow si e wall 2 and hollow end walls 3. The tongues an ears reinforce the bottom and wallsand impa t added strength to the tray.

n view of the fact that the blank forms a substantially tubular structure when the sections 8 and |0 are glued to each other with its smooth or decorated surface disposed outwardly, the tray will have all surfaces which are exposed, smooth or ornamented, and it is possible to use cardboard or other sheet material having only one surface smooth or ornamented.v The hollow walls and the bottom of double thickness impart strength and stability to the tray. By cutting a portion from the outer side wall of one of the side walls 2, a tongue 43 is provided which may be turned downwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and' used as a finger hold for shifting the tray along a surface upon which it rests when in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A tray vcomprising a one-piece blank of sheet material folded inface to face contact to dispose marginal portions at opposite sides thereof in overlapped relation to each other, `said marginal portions only being secured to .provide a fiat structure having upper and lower plies, the upper ply adjacent each side edge having two spaced parallel fold lines defining a central portion constituting an inner bottom panel when the blank is in initial position, said bottom ply being provided with a fold line adjacent to and parallel with each side edge and dening an outer bottom panel of greater dimensions than the inner bot-f tom panel and projecting from opposite sides and ends thereof when the blank is erected, marginal portions of the plies defined by the fold lines at sides of the inner bottom panel forming collapsible hollow side walls for the tray each having top and b ottom and inner and outer Walls, the upper ply having free portions extending from opposite ends of the marginal portions of the inner .bottom panel, the end marginal portions and theirextensions being folded upwardly between the hollow side walls and. then outwardly and downwardly with their free ends tucked inwardly the inner surface of the outer bottom panel and forming collapsible hollow end walls for -the tray each having top and bottom and inner and outer side walls, the portions of the blank forming inner sides of the hollow side walls of the tray .having free end portions integral therewith and .folded inwardly against inner sides of the hollow end walls of the tray and provided with tongues extending laterally from their upper edges to support the tops of the hollow end walls, and the portions of the blank forming outer sides of the hollow side walls having free end portions integral therewith and bent inwardly into the hollow end walls and engaged by outer sides of the hollow end walls.

ELMER H. A. BERRY. 

